you're with bbc news, live from london. elon musk speaks to the bbc: in an exclusive interview he said he's confident twitter�*s advertisers will return and he can make the company profitable once again but says it hasn't been easy. it has been really quite a stressful situation over the last several months. not an easy one. it has been quite painful. and president biden arrives in belfast, to mark the 25th anniversary of the historic good friday peace agreement. hello and welcome.

the bbc has been speaking to twitter�*s owner, elon musk. the last minute, unexpected interview came about after the bbc objected to a new tag describing it as "government funded media" on its main twitter account. in the interview the billionaire agreed to change this to publicy—funded. he also defended the site's policing of hate speech and the mass sackings of staff — and described taking over the social media firm as painful. do you have any regrets about buying twitter? i think it was something that needed to be done. it's been quite difficult. i would say, the pain level of twitter has been extremely high. this hasn't been some sort of party, so, it's been really quite a stressful situation in the last several months, not an easy one.

so it's been quite painful, but i think at the end of the day, it should have been done and were there are many mistakes made along the way, of course? live now to san francisco and our technology correspondent james clayton. this was a surprise, you asked for the interview became quickly so you had to scramble to get there. tells about how you approach that what you feel you got out of it?— feel you got out of it? yeah, i had a few hours. _ feel you got out of it? yeah, i had a few hours, elon _ feel you got out of it? yeah, i had a few hours, elon musk— feel you got out of it? yeah, i had a few hours, elon musk e-mailed| feel you got out of it? yeah, i had i a few hours, elon musk e-mailed me a few hours, elon musk e—mailed me at lunch saying let's do an interview in the evening, so i had a few hours and essentially i wanted to go chronologically through all of the new stories that it happened over the last six months, with elon musk as ceo, because he has not done this kind of sit and interview before and that's what i pictured him and that is kind of what he agreed to. i was still wondering whether he was going to pull out, you never know with elon musk, until he was actually sitting down in

front of me i did not quite believe he was actually going to do it. any side you can ask me anything. it was meant to be an interview that lasted happen and ended up being almost an hour and a half and we went to all sorts of issues with twitter, how many staff had been sacked... towards the end of the interview he was talking about what it's like to go to parties when you are as famous as elon musk and how it is difficult to trust anyone. it was a really wide—ranging interview with lots of lines. he said he is going to take that label of the bbc account that said government funded, it is now going to say publicly funded and he is going to do that tomorrow. he also said he was forced to buy twitter because he thought he was going to lose a court case in november, that is ultimately why he bought twitter and he said he was going to potentially sell twitter if the right person came along. so it was a very long interview with all sorts of news lines generated. spoke

uuite sorts of news lines generated. spoke quite personally _ sorts of news lines generated. spoke quite personally about _ sorts of news lines generated. spoke quite personally about the _ sorts of news lines generated. spoke quite personally about the impact of buying twitter, what it had on him and the sacking of people and the abuse he gets on social media as well. i abuse he gets on social media as well. ., r' abuse he gets on social media as well. . w ., ., , well. i asked them what the hardest thin ou well. i asked them what the hardest thing you have _ well. i asked them what the hardest thing you have had _ well. i asked them what the hardest thing you have had experience - well. i asked them what the hardest | thing you have had experience doing this and he said i take this stuff really personally. i would not wish it on anyone. so you could kind of see the real elon musk, he was joking around, laughing around a lot but then if you got to monitor those kinds of subjects, you could feel there was real emotion there. it's been a really difficult time for him. he said tojuggle been a really difficult time for him. he said to juggle a been a really difficult time for him. he said tojuggle a lot been a really difficult time for him. he said to juggle a lot of work. he is ceo of tesla, spacex, so he has obviously found it difficult. that said, he has sacked thousands and thousands of twitter staff and they will also say it has been a very difficult time and they will say don't have too much empathy for this bloke. ~ ., say don't have too much empathy for this bloke. ~ . ., ,., , say don't have too much empathy for this bloke. ~ . ., , ., this bloke. what about twitter is a business, this bloke. what about twitter is a business. he _ this bloke. what about twitter is a business, he said _ this bloke. what about twitter is a business, he said he _ this bloke. what about twitter is a business, he said he does - this bloke. what about twitter is a business, he said he does not - this bloke. what about twitter is a | business, he said he does not know who could take over from him but did you get the sense he is still very

personally invested in it? it has taken up enough a lot of his time and he has big businesses to run. i do, he was absolutelyjoking around, saying he would make his dog the chief executive of twitter and i kind of pushed again and he wasn't really answering the questions. wasn't really taking some of these questions seriously, but obviously does really love twitter. he still loves twitter and he still wants to make it work. it was clear having interviewed him for another and are happy has taken a real toll on him. emotionally he obviously feels fairly spent, i guess. at the same time he was also joking around. the elon musk you imagine in your mind, thatis elon musk you imagine in your mind, that is pretty similar to the elon musk i experienced today. i that is pretty similar to the elon musk i experienced today. i think we reall will musk i experienced today. i think we really will get _ musk i experienced today. i think we really will get a _ musk i experienced today. i think we really will get a sense _ musk i experienced today. i think we really will get a sense of— musk i experienced today. i think we really will get a sense of that. - let's hear a little more of elon musk —— james clayton began the interview by asking him why he decided to do this interview in the first place. there's a lot going on so this might

be a good opportunity to answer some questions. and, you know, i guess maybe get some feedback. what should we be doing different? i know the bbc were not thrilled about being labelled state affiliated media. hot labelled state affiliated media. not exactl , i labelled state affiliated media. not exactly, i was going to get to that later but let's get that now, it has officially objected to that.- officially ob'ected to that. yeah, we want to — officially objected to that. yeah, we want to be _ officially objected to that. yeah, we want to be a _ officially objected to that. yeah, we want to be a stressful- officially objected to that. yeah, we want to be a stressful and i we want to be a stressful and accurate as possible, so i think we are adjusting the label to be publicly funded, which i think perhaps it is not too objectionable. we are trying to be accurate. i am not the bbc. — we are trying to be accurate. i am not the bbc, but... _ we are trying to be accurate. i am not the bbc, but... publicly- we are trying to be accurate. i am not the bbc, but... publicly funded is how the bbc describes itself. so is how the bbc describes itself. sr that would be accurate. if we use the same words the bbc uses to describe itself, presumably that

would be ok. i'm not asking you for a yes or no since you are not running the bbc per se, it probably seems to be a reasonable test. 50 seems to be a reasonable test. so ou seems to be a reasonable test. so you are going to change the labels on the bbc twitter feed and npr? yeah, publicly funded. basically we are trying to be as accurate as possible. mi are trying to be as accurate as ossible. �* , ., possible. all right, fine. first of all, i possible. all right, fine. first of all. i want _ possible. all right, fine. first of all. i want to — possible. all right, fine. first of all, i want to clear _ possible. all right, fine. first of all, i want to clear something . possible. all right, fine. first of. all, i want to clear something up. are you sleeping in the office? here? i are you sleeping in the office? here? ,., , , , here? i sometimes sleep in the office. here? i sometimes sleep in the office- five _ here? i sometimes sleep in the office. five days _ here? i sometimes sleep in the office. five days a _ here? i sometimes sleep in the office. five days a week, - here? i sometimes sleep in the office. five days a week, three | here? i sometimes sleep in the - office. five days a week, three days a week or two _ office. five days a week, three days a week or two no, _ office. five days a week, three days a week or two no, not _ office. five days a week, three days a week or two no, not here - office. five days a week, three days a week or two no, not here five - office. five days a week, three days| a week or two no, not here five days a week or two no, not here five days a week. a week or two no, not here five days a week- there _ a week or two no, not here five days a week. there is _ a week or two no, not here five days a week. there is a _ a week or two no, not here five days a week. there is a library _ a week or two no, not here five days a week. there is a library no - a week or two no, not here five days a week. there is a library no one - a week. there is a library no one goes to on the seventh floor and there is a couch there and i sleep there is a couch there and i sleep there sometimes. this there is a couch there and i sleep there sometimes.— there is a couch there and i sleep there sometimes. this in terms of there sometimes. this in terms of the general _ there sometimes. this in terms of the general overview, _ there sometimes. this in terms of the general overview, the - there sometimes. this in terms of the general overview, the reasonl there sometimes. this in terms of. the general overview, the reason why think you've agreed to do this is because you wanted to talk about the

first six months as chief executive owner of twitter.— first six months as chief executive owner of twitter. yes, whatever you want to talk — owner of twitter. yes, whatever you want to talk about. _ owner of twitter. yes, whatever you want to talk about. so _ owner of twitter. yes, whatever you want to talk about. so how - owner of twitter. yes, whatever you want to talk about. so how do - owner of twitter. yes, whatever you want to talk about. so how do you . want to talk about. so how do you think it has _ want to talk about. so how do you think it has gone? _ want to talk about. so how do you think it has gone? well, - want to talk about. so how do you think it has gone? well, it - want to talk about. so how do you think it has gone? well, it has - want to talk about. so how do you j think it has gone? well, it has not been boring- _ think it has gone? well, it has not been boring. it _ think it has gone? well, it has not been boring. it has _ think it has gone? well, it has not been boring. it has been - think it has gone? well, it has not been boring. it has been quite - think it has gone? well, it has not been boring. it has been quite a i been boring. it has been quite a roller—coaster. so, it's going i think reasonably well. we are seeing some all—time highs, total user time. we passed 8 billion user minutes per day, which is a lot of user minutes. usage is up. growth is good. the site works mostly —— the site. if you glitches here and there but the site is working fairly well. and we are doing it with a small

fraction of the original headcount. you mentioned outages they are, there have been several. we have actually spoken to an engineer who works at twitter and they said the plumbing is broken here and it's on fire and there could be problems at any minute. do you accept that? well, there have been a few outages, but not for very long. and it is currently working fine. 50 but not for very long. and it is currently working fine.- but not for very long. and it is currently working fine. so it does not keep you _ currently working fine. so it does not keep you up _ currently working fine. so it does not keep you up at _ currently working fine. so it does not keep you up at night - currently working fine. so it does not keep you up at night that - not keep you up at night that twitter might go off—line again? that twitter might go off—line again? git this point, i think we have a pretty good handle on what makes twitter work. and we are also doing it with two data centres instead of three, so we used to have three data centres, we shut down one of them, so we are actually two thirds of the computer capability, but we've made so many improvements to the core algorithm, in some cases we improved the core algorithm by 80%, so the

actual cpu usage, computer usage is dramatically less. so, the results speak for themselves. the system despite being at all—time highs of usage is fast, responsive, more responsive than before the takeover. and we have also added longform tweets, we've added, you can post videos up to two hours, of any length, rolling out subscriber programme so people can, content creators can actually make a living on twitter by having some of their content behind a pay wall. and we open source the algorithm so there is transparency about what tweets get shown, what content gets shown versus not. what are you really going to trust? are you going to trust some sort of black box algorithm from another site or the thing you can actually see and

understand? d0 thing you can actually see and understand?— thing you can actually see and understand? i. ., .. , ., understand? do you accept there are lots of engineers _ understand? do you accept there are lots of engineers that _ understand? do you accept there are lots of engineers that are _ understand? do you accept there are lots of engineers that are looking - lots of engineers that are looking at the way twitter is built on the lack of engineers because so many have left and are worried about the health of twitter? thea;r have left and are worried about the health of twitter?— have left and are worried about the health of twitter? they have been, i mean, health of twitter? they have been, i mean. many — health of twitter? they have been, i mean. many of _ health of twitter? they have been, i mean, many of these _ health of twitter? they have been, i mean, many of these people - health of twitter? they have been, i mean, many of these people have . mean, many of these people have predicted that twitter will cease to function. their productions have not turned out to be true. like mark twain soon rumours of our death are greatly exaggerated. we are literally on twitter right now. so it must work.— it must work. lets go back six months and — it must work. lets go back six months and even _ it must work. lets go back six months and even further, - it must work. lets go back six i months and even further, when it must work. lets go back six - months and even further, when you put that initial bed in, you then had a waddle, set i don't want to buy twitter any more... it had a waddle, set i don't want to buy twitter any more. . .- had a waddle, set i don't want to buy twitter any more... it really is uuite buy twitter any more... it really is quite entertaining, _ buy twitter any more... it really is quite entertaining, like _ buy twitter any more... it really is quite entertaining, like a - buy twitter any more... it really is quite entertaining, like a soap - quite entertaining, like a soap opera, because when i first made the

offer the response was the board adopted a poison pill, so they were like, hell no, you cannot buy twitter, we would rather die! we would rather chew on cyanide before being bought, that was their initial response. find being bought, that was their initial resonse. �* ,, being bought, that was their initial resonse. �* i. being bought, that was their initial resonse. response. and then you said actually i don't response. and then you said actually i don't want — response. and then you said actually i don't want to _ response. and then you said actually i don't want to buy. _ response. and then you said actually i don't want to buy. element - response. and then you said actually i don't want to buy. element yes, . i don't want to buy. element yes, and then they said, no, you must buy it, gone to the head, you have to buy! it, gone to the head, you have to bu ! �* g it, gone to the head, you have to bu ! �* ~' , ., it, gone to the head, you have to bu! �* ~' i, buy! i'm like, you basically put that said you — buy! i'm like, you basically put that said you would _ buy! i'm like, you basically put that said you would rather- buy! i'm like, you basically put that said you would rather die | buy! i'm like, you basically put - that said you would rather die than be bought? doesn't that seem odd? mr; be bought? doesn't that seem odd? my question to you is, in terms of, he said the reason was because of bots, twitter was filled with thoughts... looking back at it now, was there a little bit of you that thought maybe i have overpaid or maybe i don't want to do this or want to get out of this? , , ., ,

want to do this or want to get out of this? , , .,, .,, of this? yes, the problem was the ublicl of this? yes, the problem was the publicly stated _ of this? yes, the problem was the publicly stated user _ of this? yes, the problem was the publicly stated user numbers - of this? yes, the problem was the j publicly stated user numbers were of this? yes, the problem was the i publicly stated user numbers were in excess of the real user numbers. i've heard you talk about that. yes. lookin: i've heard you talk about that. yes. looking back _ i've heard you talk about that. yes. looking back at _ i've heard you talk about that. yes. looking back at it _ i've heard you talk about that. yes. looking back at it now, _ i've heard you talk about that. jazz looking back at it now, was that i've heard you talk about that. 123 looking back at it now, was that the only reason you wanted to pull out? yes. that was literally the issue. let's say you buy a warehouse full of goods and you are told that less than 5% of the goods in the warehouse are broken. but then you actually look into the warehouse and it turns out 25% of the things are broken. you would be like, half, thatis broken. you would be like, half, that is not what you said. so you chance that is not what you said. so you change your _ that is not what you said. so you change your mind _ that is not what you said. so you change your mind again - that is not what you said. so you change your mind again and - that is not what you said. so you i change your mind again and decide that is not what you said. so you - change your mind again and decide to buy, did you do that because... ? i had kind of had to. did _ buy, did you do that because... ? i had kind of had to. did you - buy, did you do that because... ? i had kind of had to. did you do - buy, did you do that because... ? i had kind of had to. did you do that| had kind of had to. did you do that because she _ had kind of had to. did you do that because she thought _ had kind of had to. did you do that because she thought a _ had kind of had to. did you do that because she thought a court - had kind of had to. did you do that because she thought a court would make youyes. yes. interesting, so

you did not actually want to purchase even when you said you were going to? purchase even when you said you were auoin to? ~ ., ., ., purchase even when you said you were anointo? ., ., ., , . going to? well, not at that price. i think the analogy _ going to? well, not at that price. i think the analogy is _ going to? well, not at that price. i think the analogy is pretty - going to? well, not at that price. i think the analogy is pretty close, l think the analogy is pretty close, there is a warehouse full of goods, they say the warehouse less than 5% of what is in the warehouse is broken, then you look, you walk into the warehouse and it's actually 25%, so you might still want to buy what's in the warehouse, but probably at a lower price. not buying the stuff that is broken. you didn't have an _ buying the stuff that is broken. you didn't have an epiphany, you just thought i'm going to have to buy this, i might as well bite the bullet? , �* , ., this, i might as well bite the bullet? , �*, ., , , bullet? yes. it's not super complicated. _ bullet? yes. it's not super complicated. i'm - bullet? yes. it's not super complicated. i'm not- bullet? yes. it's not super complicated. i'm not sure| bullet? yes. it's not super . complicated. i'm not sure you bullet? yes. it's not super - complicated. i'm not sure you have said that before. _ complicated. i'm not sure you have said that before. so _ complicated. i'm not sure you have said that before. so you _ complicated. i'm not sure you have said that before. so you came - said that before. so you came into... ., ., ., , . into... you a whole bunch court cases.

into... you a whole bunch court cases- you _ into... you a whole bunch court cases. you said _ into... you a whole bunch court cases. you said this _ into... you a whole bunch court cases. you said this on - into... you a whole bunch court cases. you said this on the - into... you a whole bunch court cases. you said this on the bbcj cases. you said this on the bbc interview etc... cases. you said this on the bbc interview etc. . ._ cases. you said this on the bbc interview etc... you then came into twitter with — interview etc... you then came into twitter with the _ interview etc... you then came into twitter with the sink, _ interview etc... you then came into twitter with the sink, what - interview etc... you then came into twitter with the sink, what were . twitter with the sink, what were your first impressions?- your first impressions? well, i thou~ht your first impressions? well, i thought wow. _ your first impressions? well, i thought wow, this _ your first impressions? well, i thought wow, this is _ your first impressions? well, i thought wow, this is a - your first impressions? well, i thought wow, this is a really i your first impressions? well, i. thought wow, this is a really nice office building.— thought wow, this is a really nice office building. expensive. element es, a office building. expensive. element yes. a very — office building. expensive. element yes, a very expensive _ office building. expensive. element yes, a very expensive office - yes, a very expensive office building. great decor, a lovely place. building. great decor, a lovely lace. �* , , , ., , place. and definitely spending money like it's going — place. and definitely spending money like it's going out _ place. and definitely spending money like it's going out of _ place. and definitely spending money like it's going out of fashion. - place. and definitely spending money like it's going out of fashion. and - like it's going out of fashion. and it is not quite going out of fashion yet. so, the gravity of the situation is perhaps not so well understood of at the point which the company, the transaction close, twitter was tracking to lose over $3

billion a year. so... and had i billion a year. so... and had i billion in the bank. so that is four months to death. so this is your starting position. how would you feel? it is pretty intense, you know? �* ., ., feel? it is pretty intense, you know? ., ., ., ., ., ., know? also had to borrow a lot of money and _ know? also had to borrow a lot of money and pay — know? also had to borrow a lot of money and pay interest _ know? also had to borrow a lot of money and pay interest on - know? also had to borrow a lot of money and pay interest on that. l know? also had to borrow a lot of. money and pay interest on that. well that is why it — money and pay interest on that. well that is why it was _ money and pay interest on that. -ii that is why it was the $3 billion rate. in rough numbers, a normal year twitter would do site for a nap billion revenue, four and have billion revenue, four and have billion revenue, four and have billion revenue, one half billion in cost, it was kind of a nonprofit, they would roughly break even. but that is not bankruptcy. you are not saving it from bankruptcy if it is breaking even. tic saving it from bankruptcy if it is breaking even.— saving it from bankruptcy if it is breaking even. no but if you add billions and _ breaking even. no but if you add billions and have _ breaking even. no but if you add billions and have dollars - breaking even. no but if you add billions and have dollars in - breaking even. no but if you add billions and have dollars in debt| billions and have dollars in debt and have a massive drop in revenue, which we did, which was partly psychical and partly put your concerns or whatever, the revenue

dropped by over a third —— partly cyclical. this is notjust twitter, facebook and others have seen significant advertising revenue declines. i think we will be back where there is a cyclic drop, still pretty significant, but in rough numbers are revenue drop from around four and have billion to three and expensive went from four and a half to six, creating a $3 billion negative cash flow situation. and twitter having $i negative cash flow situation. and twitter having $1 billion in the bank. for months to live. so this drastic action was taken immediately, the company was going to die, to be honest. lets immediately, the company was going to die, to be honest.— to die, to be honest. lets talk about the _ to die, to be honest. lets talk about the drastic _ to die, to be honest. lets talk about the drastic action, - to die, to be honest. lets talk i about the drastic action, almost immediately you sacked a lot of twitter workers. immediately you sacked a lot of twitterworkers. i immediately you sacked a lot of twitter workers. i spoke to them as it was very easy to speak to them when it happened and the way they said, pretty much everyone said it felt quite haphazard and it felt a

little bit uncaring. i felt quite haphazard and it felt a little bit uncaring.— felt quite haphazard and it felt a little bit uncaring. i wouldn't say uncarina. little bit uncaring. i wouldn't say uncaring- the — little bit uncaring. i wouldn't say uncaring. the issue _ little bit uncaring. i wouldn't say uncaring. the issue is, - little bit uncaring. i wouldn't say uncaring. the issue is, the - little bit uncaring. i wouldn't say - uncaring. the issue is, the company was either going to go bankrupt if we do not cut costs immediately, this is not an uncaring situation, if the whole ship sinks then everyone will drown. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. james badger has committed to writing 1600 kilometres, the length of the uk over the course of eight days. in memory of his late wife philippa. days. in memory of his late wife phili a. ,, days. in memory of his late wife philiua. , days. in memory of his late wife philippa. philippa said she was feelin: a philippa. philippa said she was feeling a little _ philippa. philippa said she was feeling a little bit _ philippa. philippa said she was feeling a little bit tired, - philippa. philippa said she was feeling a little bit tired, a - philippa. philippa said she was feeling a little bit tired, a bit l feeling a little bit tired, a bit fatigued, wasn't so well the next day and went to see a gp and very sadly found out she had got acute

myeloid leukaemia. started chemotherapy and blood transfusions straightaway, but very sadly within 36 hours she died. chaser straightaway, but very sadly within 36 hours she died.— 36 hours she died. over time he decided something _ 36 hours she died. over time he decided something had - 36 hours she died. over time he decided something had to - 36 hours she died. over time he decided something had to come | 36 hours she died. over time he - decided something had to come out of her sudden death that was good. on the first anniversary, him and friends began in 1000 mile route to raise money for blood cancer uk. he is cycling 100 times may be in the year _ is cycling 100 times may be in the ear. , ., ., g, is cycling 100 times may be in the ear. , ., g, ., .,. year. the survival rate for acute m eloid year. the survival rate for acute myeloid leukaemia _ year. the survival rate for acute myeloid leukaemia is _ year. the survival rate for acute myeloid leukaemia isjust - year. the survival rate for acute myeloid leukaemia isjust10%. | myeloid leukaemia is just 10%. research myeloid leukaemia isjust10%. research could improve that. a family team working together determined to make a difference. you're live with bbc news. president biden has spent the night in northern ireland — at the start of a tour marking 25 years since the signing of the good friday agreement. later, he'll give a speech at ulster university and speak to the leaders of northern ireland's five main political parties. but mr biden won't try to broker a deal to restore power—sharing, which collapsed last year.

let's go live now to south wales where we can speak to former secretary of state for northern ireland, lord peter hain. welcome, thank you for being with us. president biden is in northern ireland, he is going to meet with all the party leaders, we think, we don't know exactly who he is meeting with. what do you think he is hoping to achieve and what is achievable by him in the short visit there? the united states _ him in the short visit there? the united states of _ him in the short visit there? ii2 united states of course was him in the short visit there? i“i2 united states of course was a him in the short visit there? ii2 united states of course was a core guarantor of the good friday agreement, along with the irish government, most importantly, and the european union. the us has always had an important stake in the 0 process, as well as underpinning it economically and globally. so the very presence of a united states president as bill clinton was before in the old police processor in the good friday agreement, george bush as well, afterwards playing roles in

underpinning it and making sure it went forward, these are crucial visits by the most powerful person in the world and they could be economic benefits. and insults self—government in stormont is restored and in ireland politicians are able to do theirjobs properly and the former government tackles the many problems in northern ireland, i suspect president biden will be standing sightly back and sing hang on, if you want me to come to the party, you have to as well. tony blair played a key role in forging that agreement, he is in some comments yesterday, urging president biden to tread carefully, aim to influence but not pressurise or at rest backfiring. do you agree? yes, i do,

or at rest backfiring. do you agree? yes, ido, it or at rest backfiring. do you agree? yes, i do, it does not achieve anything to try and pressurise, especially unionists who are feeling ready destabilised at the moment and borisjohnson agreed on his brexit deal to put a border town, to factor bordered on the irish sea between northern ireland and the rest of the uk and great britain. michael because great guest comfort with unionist opinion, which prioritises our links with the uk and... the good friday agreement in 1998 was a way of balancing nationalist opinion, the catholic half of the population which wanted to establish reunification with the republic to the south and the whole island of ireland to be one constitutional entity, on the one hand, and on the other hand unionist that wanted to remain within the uk. the good friday agreement was a carefully

constructed process of enabling the two bitterly divided over the centuries parts of northern ireland to work together and to live together, and it has been very largely successful, but to maintain it, you have got to work all the time, the british government all the time, the british government all the time with the irish government and the us government and the european union to make sure it operates properly and progresses, rather than goes back, as it has in recent years. goes back, as it has in recent ears. , �* , years. president biden is meeting with the uk _ years. president biden is meeting with the uk prime _ years. president biden is meeting with the uk prime minister- years. president biden is meeting with the uk prime minister rishi i with the uk prime minister rishi sunak in the coming hours for a bilateral, what do you hope the prime minister rishi sunak will get out or want to see what people get out or want to see what people get out of that meeting? i out or want to see what people get out of that meeting?— out of that meeting? i hope a commitment _ out of that meeting? i hope a commitment to _ out of that meeting? i hope a commitment to future - out of that meeting? i hope a i commitment to future economic investment because the irish american community which i met when i was secretary of state is hugely important in us politics, but also

important in us politics, but also important in us politics, but also important in terms of driving investment in northern ireland and indeed the whole ireland of ireland. —— island of ireland. i hope there will be something from the prime minister's discussions with president biden in that direction in the future, but i also think it's important that rishi sunak learns from his success and i congratulate him for that in the windsor framework agreement a few weeks ago which removed a lot of the rough edges that were so offensive to unionist opinion difficult for businesses in northern ireland with goods coming from england, scotland, wales across the irish sea into northern ireland and facing all sorts of obstacles as a result of the brexit deal that borisjohnson negotiated. that is to his credit, he rolled up his sleeves and rebuilt trust with brussels and dublin and got a deal, but obviously there is still work to do it with the democratic unionists, the largest unionist party, who are still refusing tojoin in

unionist party, who are still refusing to join in self—government, and i hope that president biden's visit will encourage rishi sunak to go the extra mile and seek to bring them back into the tent, because it's important that they are. briefly, how would you characterise 25 years on the successes of the good friday agreement? compared with what went before, _ good friday agreement? compared with what went before, the _ good friday agreement? compared with what went before, the horror _ good friday agreement? compared with what went before, the horror and - what went before, the horror and terror of 30 years of the troubles, and we all remember those comedy assassinations, the knee capping comedy bombs going off, the destruction of large parts of belfast and derry, londonderry and other parts of northern ireland and people dying by the thousands as a result, and into that, in that sense it has been very successful. obviously it is not stable, or there would be self—government, and there are still threats from breakaway ira paramilitaries criminally intent, infested, and loyalist ones as well,

so there is still work to do.- so there is still work to do. sorry to cut you _ so there is still work to do. sorry to cut you have, _ so there is still work to do. sorry to cut you have, we _ so there is still work to do. sorry to cut you have, we are - so there is still work to do. sorry to cut you have, we are out - so there is still work to do. sorry to cut you have, we are out of. so there is still work to do. sorry i to cut you have, we are out of time. i so there is still work to do. sorry i to cut you have, we are out of time. hello. today essentially is a day of sunshine, heavy showers and very windy conditions. thus to gale force, even severe gales around some of our coast. we could have as much a 70 mile and a glass around the south western approaches for example, so it could lead to some disruption and you can find all the warnings on the bbc weather home page and don't forget to check out our bbc weather app. it's because of this area of low pressure, it has been steadily pushing across us through the course of the small hours of today and we could have costs, 50 miles an inland across southern counties, along the coast of south and west wales, the south—western approaches as much as 70. large waves being whipped up.

across northern ireland, the wind also strengthening and we are looking at gusts, 45 — 59, 60 along the coast of northern ireland, so destruction quite here. we continue with when through the course of the day, strong winds in the north—east of scotland eventually becoming confined to the northern isles and the showers merging in places to give longer heavier spells of rain, but in between, there will be some sunshine. it will feel cold, temperatures 7—12 . called for the time of year. as we head onto the evening and overnight, what we'll find as many of the showers will fade and some of them will become organising bands, moving from west to east, and the wind will gradually start to ease and it is going to be another cold night comical start to the day tomorrow, some clues in the chart indicating temperatures around freezing or indeed below. tomorrow we start off with a few showers, a lot of dry weather, fair better sunshine around, its not going to

be nearly as windy as today, so as a result it's not going to feel as cold as today. we are looking at highs, 8—13 , north to south. as we move on from thursday into friday, you can see a band of rain waiting in the wings on thursday, could cross southern counties of england through the course of friday, in the northern half of the country is going to be sunshine and showers, turning milder into the weekend. it looks now like it will be even milder into the start of next week with highs of 21.

live from london, this is bbc news. elon musk speaks to the bbc: in an exclusive interview he said he's confident twitter�*s advertisers will return and he can make the company profitable once again, but says it hasn't been easy. it's been really quite a stressful situation over the last several months. not an easy one. but apart from the pain, i mean, so it's been quite painful. president biden arrives in belfast, to mark the 25th anniversary of the historic good friday peace agreement. in england, hospital bosses say they are concerned for patients, as junior doctors enter a second day of their four—day strike.